Michael Ntiriakwa "Sustainability in the Digital Age"

Digital platforms have emerged as powerful socio-technical systems with the potential to support sustainable development by enabling collaboration, optimizing resource use, and driving innovation. However, these same platforms can also reinforce inequality, compromise privacy, and exacerbate environmental harm. Despite a growing body of research, scholars still lack an integrative understanding of how specific platform features influence sustainability outcomes across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. To address this gap, we systematically review 102 peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2024. Drawing on platform ecosystem theory and sustainability principles, we develop an integrated framework to explain how platform governance, architecture, and value creation interact to shape sustainable development outcomes. Our analysis reveals recurring design tensions and underexplored mechanisms—such as algorithmic control and complementor autonomy—that bring about platform impacts. The review contributes a synthesis of current knowledge, identifies future research directions, and offers practical insights for researchers and policymakers seeking to align digital platforms with sustainable development goals

Michael started his PhD at the Kühne Logistics University on the 1st of September 2022—he is a researcher with a background in sustainability, and environmental management. As a PhD candidate at Kühne Logistics University, he is at the forefront of exploring the sustainability impact of digital platforms.